Starting-valve for automobile torpedoes.



No. 814,055. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906. P. M. LEAVITT.

STARTING VALVE FOR AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOBS.

APPLIUATIOH FILED MAY3. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

&

INVENTOR W TNESSES: 4;

By Altar $30, 16 'flfi?! i a v ail FE L Lin will lo the cnginc.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l liANh M. LEAVITI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO l W. BLISS UUh'll.=\N/, ()l BROOKLYN. N 1 1W YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VllilllNlA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, i906 .lppliczrtlrm filod May 3.196% Serial No 206,249.

To all who/n it 'IHJL/j (Yo/worm:

Bo it known that I, FRANK M. limvrrir, c i-ilizcn ol' the United States, residing in tho horongh of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, huvc invcntcil cortuin now and usolul ,lmprovcinents in Storiing-Vnlvcs for Automobile 'lorpedocs or the liikc, of which the Following is n specification.

This invention )roviilcs a valve for inimitting a How of lllll(l llllllel' pressure to start an vnginc. lt is cspccinlly designed for use in milolnohilc torpoiloos where it is required to 'slnrl tho llow of compressed air to the engine (luring llH vii-(lion ol the torpedo from the lnunchinglulic in tho Whitehead torpcilo, for example, this stnrtingwnlvc is operated moi-hunirnlly by n hook-shapoil urln project ing from theshell of the tor moo, and which as tho lllllll is lorr-cil throng-l1 tho launchinglnhv vngngcs n projection in the latter by which l-lic nrln thrown back. This movellltlll ol lhu arm is connnnnimneil mechanirnlly lo lhv vnlvc to zulmii. (.hc compressed My invcntion avoids the usr ol' inu-linnirnlly-enguglng ports and utilizcs I'mthe purpose of opcnnig the valve the gaseous prcssnrc within the hninching-whe In. which 1hr lorpcilo is cjcctcil. This pros- SUN is commonly (lOl'lVUll from the combustion ol on cxplosivv at the hrecch of the luunching'tuhr.

According Lo my invention the gaseous 'cssure sols upon a diaphragm or other ivnleni. moving purl which llv displaces and which in turn operates the main nirvnlvc or Lhrottlc-vnlve Lo mlinil. air to the onnine.

in tho accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is o vorticnl section through a fragment of a.- torpedo, showing one mode oi applying tho improved vulvo provided by my invcntion. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the valve in its closcil )osition. Fig. 3 is a similar section oi the. va V6 in its open position. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the auxiliary vulvc. Fig. .5 is a. vertical section of the inner shcll removed. Figs. 6 and 7 are olevctions of the auxiliary valve removed. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the tappet or plunger V. Fig. 9 is a section of the inain valve, showing a modification.

Rclorring to Fig. 1, let A designate the l shell of the torpedo; B, the compressed-air reservoir or lloskjC, any usual or suitable filling valve or plug through which compressed air may hc charged into the flask; D, the starting-valve E, the reducing-valve, and F the cnginc or motor, which in 'this case is shown as a turhinc, although nnv kind of engine may he used. From the flask B the compressed uir passes by a pipe (L to the inlet of the valve l), thence by a pipe b to the regulator E, and thence by 11. pipe 0 to the inlet of the nozzle d of theturhinc. This arrangement may of course be greatly varied.

The. prefc-rreil construction of the valve D is shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The valve is host constructed with an outer shell G and an inner shell or hushing H, fixed in place thereinl or example, by screwing up a ring I behind ii Tho shell G is formed with a valve soot qscpnroting its inlct-chombcr ii from its (llrlfillfilgQ-Qllilmile! Within the shell G is a suitable. valvc R, adapted to close against the scat e and constructed as a. piston or plunger moving freely within the shell H, with which itv makes a close working fit, but preferably without any packing, so as to per mil. a slighr leakage post the piston, or any other moans lor slowly admit-ting fluid past the valvc may he uscrl. This vsilvc K is nornmlly held to its scat by the )ressure of a. spring I, whi h is conveniently applied to not against :1. YlIlVP-Slifilll M, the spring being housed in n iubulnr extension G of the shell G, which is closcd at its outer and by a suitahlc cap M. The piston of the valve K when closcil is pressed to its seat by the pressnrc of air noting against its rear face in a chmnherf, into which compressed air flows throu h tho narrow spl ce around the piston.

A (linphragin I is Arranged to be exposed to tho gaccous pressure generated during the firing of the torpedo. It may be arranged as shown in Fig. 1, where it is mounted in an o inning formed in the shell of the torpedo. 'lhe rim of the diaphragm is fastened to a cirwlar shell Q, forming a chamber, within which is inclosed a disk R, which backs the diaphragm, and when the latter is forced inwardly oy .the pressure communicates mo tion to a; pin or valve-stem S, which is connected to an auxiliary valve T. Instead of the diaphragm any other equivalent moving i Prior to the launching the plug C is opened air-pressure leaks aroun the valve K into ,0 and unseats the auxiliary valve T, thereby 5 piston-valve K and permits the pressure in tor E an to the engine, and this flow con- 5 out through the ports 'L g h and be wasted.

if a substantially tight 'oint is made.

part may be provided. The stem S and valve means for holding the valve T unseated. A T preferably are arranged transversely to the little plunger or ta pet V, Fig. 8, is arranged axis of the main valve; but this is not essento work in a suitab e guide or socket V in the tial. The valve T closes against a seat 9, lining-shell H and has a head it in position to 5 which on one side communicates, through a be struck by the piston-valve K in its openport h, with the exterior and on the other ing movement, whereby the plunger V is dis- 7 o communicates, through a port i, with the laced or forced back to the position shown chamber A spring U is arranged to press in Fig. 3. In this movement a shoulder l on up the valve T, the latter being preferably this plunger acts against an incline m, formed 10 constructed as a Iplunger working in a cylinin a recess in the body of the valve T, and

drical chamber 1 in the shell H and accessiacts to ress downwardly against the valve 7 5 ble b removing the latter and unscrewing a T, and t iereby to force this valve fully open cag y and hold it in this position. it will be so .he operation may now be understood. held as long as the main valve K remains in the open position. It thus insures that the chamber f behind the main valve shall be kc t in open communication with the externa air, so that no pressure can accumulate in it, and the main valve cannot be reseatcd. At the end of the run, when the supply of compressed air is exhausted, the escape 0 its pressure from the inlet-chamber e enables the spring M to restore the main valve to its seat. Thereupon a spring n restores the lunger V to its original position, thereby reein the valve T and permitting its spring U to c ose it against its seat. Thus the parts are restored to their original position ready for the next operation.

Preferably a hand-operated relief-cock W is provided in order that the st arting-valvc 5 l) may be opened at will, as is required for making an experimental or test run of the engine. To this end, communication is afforded between the (hamberf and the inlet to the cock W by means of a. passage 1), openio ing into the socket or chamber in which the plunger V works.

It must not be inferred from the particularity of detail with which 1 have described and illustrated the preferred form of my init ventioii that I am necessarily restricted to the particular construction herein set forth. My invention is, in fact, susceptible of a wide range of n'iodiiication within the judgment and skill of a mechanic or constructor. F or i example, I am not to be understood as limited to the main valve being necessarily a pistonvalve, nor to the auxiliary valve being necessarily a plunger or tappet valve, nor to the means for retaining the valve open being a tappet or plunger displaced by the main valve.

Fig. 9 shows a modification in which the plunger V is omitted, and instead a tappet stein V is ixed'to the rear f the valve K and carries a project on l, which acts against the incline m in place of the shoulder Z in the construction first described.

What I claim is to admit com ressed air through pipe a to the inlet a" o" the valve. The air-pressure acts temporarily to unseat the valve against the pressure of the sprin M until sufficient the chamber f to cooperate with the s ring and reseat the valve. (See Fig. 2.) T iereafter the air-pressure in the chamber 7, acting iigainst a larger area on the back of the valve than that against which acts the air-press sure in the chamber a,holds the valve presse strongly to its seat. At the instant of firing the gaseous pressure in the launching-tube presses in the diaphragm. as shown in Fig. 5,

roviding an escape for the pressure confined in the chamber f, which accordingly blows out through. the port 71, seat and port h. This relieves the pressure on t e back of the the inlet-chamber c to force back the valve to the position shown in Fig. 3. Thereby a wide opening is permitted for the outflow of air throu h the pipe b to the pressure-regulatinues during the entire run of the torpedo. It is desirable to prevent any further leakage of compressed air back of the valve K, since the air thus leaking past it would simply blow To prevent this, the rear face of the pistonvalve K is made to act a ainst a valve-seat being preferably groun to fit this seat, as shown, so that in the position shown in Fig. 3 The diaphragm 1 remains depressed only while it is subjected to gaseous pressure in the launching tube. Upon the ejection of the torpedo it is released from this pressure, 55 and the valve T would then reseat itself, after which any leakage of compressed air past the main valve K into the chamber f might in course of time develop such a pressure in this chamber as to force the valve K against 60 its seat, and thereby cut off the supply of air to the engine. This might occur efore the l. A starting-valve for admitting fluidtorpedo had completed its prescribed run, pressure to an engine, comprisin a valve which would defeat its intended o eration. member and a movable part, the atter ex- To guard against this possibility, provide posed to be operated by fiuid-pressure and adapted when displnred thercbv to operate valve to seat said valve, 21 vent-passage from the valve member to open the valve and start the engine.

2. A starting-valve for an automobile torpedo, comprising a valve mmnber and a diaphragm eonnrcted to operate it and exposed to be operated by external Qu ll-pressure, whereby such pressure during the launching of the torpedo acts through the diaphragm to open the starring-valve and start the ongino.

3. A starting-valve for admitting lluidpressure to an engine, comprising a main valve, an auxiliary valve rontrolling it, and a diaphragm conneoted to operate the auxiliary valve and exposed to be operated by fluid-pressure, whereby sui-b pressure acting through the diaphragm and auxiliary valve opens the main valve to start the engine.

1. A starting-valve for an automobile torpedo comprising a main valve, an auxiliary valve eontrolling it, and a diaphragm ironneeted to operate the auxiliary valve: and exposed to be operated by extornal lluid-pressure, whereby such pressure during the launching of the torpedo arts through the diaphragm and auxiliary valvu to open the main valve and start, the engine.

5. A starting-valve (oinprising a shell forming a rhamber, a main valve movable therein, an auxiliary valve controllinga ventpaesago from said chamber, and a diaphragm for operating said auxiliary valve.

6. A start ng-valve comprising a shell having an inlet and outlet (-liamlwr, and on interposed seat, a main valve movable therein against said seal, a rhambur behind said valve oonnnuniualiug through a restricted passage with a source of pressure, an auxilmry valve rontrolling a vent-passage from said latter chamber, and means for operating said auxiliary valve,

7. A starting-valve comprising a shell, having a seat and inlet and outlet uhmnbers, a main valve moving in the inlot-vhamber aga nst said seat, having means for slowly admitting fluid to the chamber behind said said letter rlnimber to the exterior, and an auxiliary valve for contri'illing said vent.

a. A starting-valve for an automobile torpedo, comprising a. valve member, a diaphragm oonnerted to operate it and exposed to be operated by external fluid-pressure,

whereby such pressure during the launching of the torpedo :uis through the diaphragm to open the valve, and means for holding the valve open during the run of the torpedo.

S). A starting-valve for an automobile torpedo, comprising a main valve, an auxiliary valve controlling it, a dial lira-gm connected to operate the auxiliary va e and exposed to be operated by external fluid-pressure, and means for holding the auxiliary valve open during the run of the torpedo to prevent premature closing of the main valve.

it). A starting-valve comprising a shell, :1 main valve movable therein having means for slowly admitting fluid behind said valve to close it, a veilt for escaping said pressure to open the valve, an auxiliary valve controlling said vent, and means for holding said auxiliary valve open while the main valve remains open to prevent premature closing thereof.

11. A startingw'alvo comprising ashell,

with inlet and outlet chambers, 21 seat between them, and a back seat, a main valve movable against either seat, and an auxiliary valve controlling the movementsof the main valve. 12. A starting-valve comprising a shell, 0, main valve K, an auxiliary valve T, a diaphragm for opening said auxiliary valve,.and a tnppet V adapted to be displaced by the opening of the main valve and to engage and hold the auxiliary valve.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. LEAVIT'l. Witnesses DUMiNGO A. USINA, Flinn W'nrrn. 

